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Media Ownership

Media ownership is paramount to the Egyptian power structure. As such, twenty out of the forty one media covered by the MOM belong to the State or the security bodies. In the past five years, the media landscape changed dramatically with President al-Sisi taking office, installing a tight grip over the public and private media, taking over media outlets from prominent businessmen.

The print sector is one of the most diverse in terms of media ownership with three dailies directly owned by the State (Al Ahram, Al Akhbar and Al Gomhuria), one by the EMG linked to the General Intelligence (Al Youm Al Sabea), another one by a member of the board of the EMG (Al Watan), and the rest of them owned by wealthy businessmen (Al Shorouk, Al Masry Al Youm, El Fagr ), out of which two have political interests (Al Dostor and Al Bawaba).

The online sector is mostly dominated by companies involved in other traditional media sectors. Most of the popular outlets are digital versions of existing print media such as Al Masry Al Youm, Youm7, Al Shorouk, El Fagr, Al Watan, Ahram Gate, Akbar al Youm, TV such as Sada El Balad. Only two are independent from an existing media outlet and are owned by its journalists (Mada Masr) or by a wealthy businessman with interests in the telecommunications sector (Masrawy). One was first a website before its print version was issued (Al Bawaba).

And who owns these companies

The broadcast sector is mainly dominated by companies and organizations affiliated to the state (National Media Authority, Nile Radio Company), the General Intelligence (The Egyptian Media Group) and a few remain the properties of businessmen who could start their media activities during the Mubarak era thanks to their close connections to the regime at the time. When shedding light on these owners, one trend appears: the General Intelligence has been passing deals to take over their shares and increase their influence. There is no woman as media owners although former Investment Minister Dalia Korshid, is the Chairwoman of Eagle Capital, an investment firm that owns EMG.

On 20 January 2018, the Egyptian Media group signed several protocols with the National Media Authority to launch a new satellite TV channel for the Arab region. It will be the first satellite TV which broadcasts throughout the Arab world aired through the Egyptian State-owned Nile Sat. The NMA and Egyptian Media also agreed to upgrade and develop content on state-owned TV's Channel 1 and Channel 2, as well as the Egyptian satellite channel Al-Masriya. According to the deal, advertising rights will be upgraded and developed. This extends the control of the Egyptian Media Group to the State-owned media sector, reinforcing the influence of the General Intelligence over the TV landscape in Egypt.